Episode1

Arihan Lee let out a long sigh as he flopped onto his bed, his phone still glowing in his hand. The room was silent except for the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the occasional sound of traffic drifting in through the slightly open window. It had been another exhausting day. Between college assignments, part-time work, and endless responsibilities, all he wanted was a little escape.

Reading novels had always been his favorite way to forget reality.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he opened the latest chapter of his favorite fantasy novel, Blood Crown: The Rise of the Vampire King.

"Finally... the new update."

His excitement didn't last long.

The more he read, the deeper his brows furrowed.

"No way..."

He scrolled faster.

"No... no, no, no."

A few minutes later, Arihan threw his phone onto the pillow with a groan.

"What kind of ending was that?!"

He buried his face in his hands, still unable to believe what he had just read.

The Vampire King, Lucien Valerius, had suffered his entire life. Betrayed by his own family, manipulated by the nobles, and forced to carry the weight of an entire kingdom alone... yet the author still refused to let him have a happy ending.

"And don't even get me started on Cassian Evernight."

Arihan clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Cassian was written to be such an interesting villain. Smart, elegant, powerful... but instead of giving him proper development, the author turned him into a jealous fool who dies halfway through the story."

He shook his head dramatically.

"If I were the author, I'd rewrite everything."

He picked up his phone again and opened the comments.

His fingers flew across the keyboard.

Dear Author,

I'm officially protesting this ending.

Justice for Lucien.

Justice for Cassian.

You had one job.

Satisfied with his comment, he tossed the phone onto the nightstand.

"What a waste of such amazing characters..."

His eyelids gradually became heavier.

"I'll just take a quick nap..."

Within minutes, sleep claimed him.

...

Cold.

The first thing Arihan felt was an unbearable chill spreading across his skin.

He frowned.

"Did I leave the air conditioner on?"

His body felt strangely heavy.

His head throbbed painfully, as though someone had struck him with a hammer.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Instead of the familiar white ceiling of his apartment, an enormous ceiling painted with intricate silver patterns stretched above him.

Crystal chandeliers shimmered softly, reflecting crimson light across the room.

Heavy velvet curtains covered windows that reached from floor to ceiling.

Everything looked... expensive.

His eyes widened.

"What..."

He immediately sat upright.

The bed beneath him was enormous, covered with silky black sheets embroidered in silver thread.

"This isn't my room."

His heartbeat quickened.

He jumped off the bed and looked around frantically.

Ancient bookshelves lined the walls.

Elegant furniture carved from dark wood stood around the room.

A fireplace crackled quietly despite the strange cold lingering in the air.

"What is this place?"

Then his gaze landed on a full-length mirror.

Arihan slowly walked toward it.

Each step felt strangely unfamiliar.

When he finally stood before the mirror...

He froze.

"...Who?"

The reflection staring back at him wasn't his.

Instead of his usual black hair, silky silver hair fell past his shoulders.

Crimson eyes looked back at him with an icy elegance.

His skin was unnaturally pale.

Even his facial features had changed completely.

He slowly reached up to touch his face.

The reflection copied every movement.

"This..."

His breathing became uneven.

"No..."

"This has to be a dream."

He pinched himself.

Nothing.

He slapped his own cheek.

Still nothing.

"I'm actually awake?"

Before panic could fully settle in—

Bang!

The bedroom doors opened.

A tall servant entered, dressed in an elegant black uniform.

The servant immediately bowed deeply.

"Young Master Cassian."

Arihan's heart stopped.

"...What?"

"The preparations are complete."

The servant raised his head respectfully.

"His Majesty, King Lucien Valerius, has requested your presence in the royal palace."

Cassian.

That name echoed endlessly inside Arihan's mind.

Cassian Evernight.

The ambitious noble.

The tragic villain.

The man who betrayed the king...

...and was later executed.

A cold shiver ran down Arihan's spine.

"No..."

"No way..."

His face turned pale.

"I became..."

"...Cassian Evernight?"

As if responding to those words, a violent pain exploded inside his head.

"Ah!"

He stumbled backward, clutching his temples.

Countless unfamiliar memories rushed into his mind like a raging flood.

Elegant ballroom dances.

Political meetings.

Sword training.

Ancient vampire traditions.

The Evernight family's mansion.

And finally—

Lucien's cold expression as he ordered—

"Execute him."

Arihan's legs gave out beneath him.

He collapsed onto the polished floor, breathing heavily.

"This isn't happening..."

He laughed weakly.

A dry, hopeless laugh.

"Out of every character..."

"...why did I become the villain who's destined to die?"

Outside the room, church bells echoed across the kingdom.

The servant spoke again, completely unaware of the storm raging inside his master's heart.

"Young Master... the royal carriage is waiting."

Arihan slowly lifted his head.

If he remembered the novel correctly...

Today...

...was the day everything began.

The day he would meet the Vampire King.

The day fate started moving toward Cassian's tragic ending.

His hands trembled.

"...If I follow the original story..."

"...I'm dead."

He swallowed hard and forced himself to stand.

"No."

His crimson eyes met his reflection once more.

"I'm not dying."

"I know this story better than anyone."

"And this time..."

"I'm going to rewrite my fate."

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